I've been there when it was cold and it can make for long afternoons when the cliff is in the shade... but it
might be ok, you never know. Only the great wall (i think) catches the sun for longer in the day. It's the desert
- it is mostly too hot or too cold, and very rarely just right. Given that it's a crag of long adventure pitches I'd
rather be warm on belay than freezing, but who knows, you might get great weather.

Moonarie is cold and often wet in winter. Still if you go there could be crisp clear days, or freezing windy clear days. The great wall, cragx and far southern crags get the most sun. Don't climb anything in the shade unless you want hypothermia. I try to go in winter as there are often no crowds (normally Jimmy and Rob, so I don't know who would be there now, probably nobody). Have fun.

When I was there July last year it was complete sunshine every day. I was alternating between fleece off and fleece on while on the ground. While climbing I was fine with a t-shirt despite having a jumper in my backpack. Day time temperatures probably were around 16-17C.

A week at Moonarie ... sounds like a good idea. It will most likely be clear giving pleasant climbing (in the sun) and freezin' nights. Overcast conditions would even out the day/night time temperatures. I find Moonarie generally cooler in winter than Arapiles: it's higher - Bottom Camp is about 500m above sea level, the Pines about 150m.

If you're there for a week you'll probably want to risk a climb or two in the shady Ramparts. You'd be comfortable in some light thermal gear and a beanie (and/or helmet!), but I'd schedule those climbs for the afternoon. The rock will freeze your fingers in the morning, after lunch it should be OK.

On 20/06/2007 prb wrote:>A week at Moonarie ... sounds like a good idea. It will most likely be>clear giving pleasant climbing (in the sun) and freezin' nights. Overcast>conditions would even out the day/night time temperatures.

totally agree. never been colder in my life than nights in winter at moonarie when its clear....but climbing
in
crisp winter sun with nobody at the crag other than yourself more than compensates.

i also wouldn't be scared off trying things in the shade...just wear an extra flanny if multipitching...and
if you are trying one of the single pitch harder routes in the shade... you'll need to expand the concept
of 'first pump of the day' to include "first finger freeze of the day" because just like a pump the second
finger freeze of the day is much harder to come by.